The NC House and Senate passed Congressional, Senate and House Maps last week.  Senator Wiley Nickel will be in the new Congressional District 13, which will include Southern Wake County, along with Johnston, Lee, Chatham, and Wayne Counties.  In 2020, the new Congressional 13 went 51% for Biden and 50.4% for Trump.   Clay Aiken will remain in Congressional District 4 with Senator Valerie Foushee and Durham Commissioner Nida Allam.

I am considering a run for the new House District 21, which includes all of the Town of Morrisville, and much of West Cary.  I do believe that the Town of Morrisville could benefit from having one of our own residents serve in the General Assembly, to assist in more funding for transportation and schools infrastructure and other issues.  

This is an entirely New District, which was established after I was elected to a fourth term. I have represented a good portion of this District as a Council Member (Mayor Pro Tem for 2) for 12 years and I have been contacted by a number of Morrisville and Cary residents and leaders about embarking on this new adventure.  

 

I have heard that the Maps could change but stay tuned for updates!  

Congrats to Interim Police Chief Pete Acosta who will be sworn in this evening at 5:30 pm at Town Hall as our newest, Full Time Police Chief!  

Biden expecting Russian invasion of Ukraine within days. 

Queen Elizabeth gets Covid. 

Raleigh and Wake County will end Mask Mandates Feb 25th at 5 pm.  Morrisville Mayor did not sign off on Wake county order so we can discuss at Tuesday’s meeting to get feedback from other Council Members.  We will be discussing on Tuesday, and I am in favor at this time of lifting the Mask Mandate and making this optional.

Congratulations to all of the athletes who competed during this Olympics.  

We are so proud of Team USA and all of the Athletes who competed with so much courage and passion during a Pandemic Olympics.  All of you are Champions of the World!   

Congrats to Finland for winning Hockey Gold and to Jesse Diggins for winning Silver in 30km Cross Country Skiing! 

It has come to my attention that Parkside Elementary could be capped this upcoming school year, and the closest school would be Adams Elementary in Cary, which is located on Cary Town Boulevard.  I am working with my colleagues on the Council, and the Wake County School Board on what other options could be and I am going to make this a high priority for this year, along with our Council.

We do plan to discuss this topic at the next during our brainstorming work session tomorrow and next week as well.

Please visit https://www.wcpss.net/student-assignment for more information on School Assignment.

I am wishing each of you a very Happy Presidents Day!   

Use this day to remind yourself of the inspiring Presidents who led our nation through crisis, and that remember that the idea that one of our own citizens would govern the nation was a revolutionary concept at the time.   

46 leaders have held this office and there are only two requirements for the job: 

Since the founding of the nation, there has only been one Black President, Barack Obama.  Kamala Harris is the first Black/Asian Woman to serve as the Vice President of the United States.   

Who knows, maybe one day, there will be a Madam President and we hope that there is a smart, young boy or girl, out there, dreaming big to be President in 2040!  

We are grateful for the service of our Presidents to the Republic of the United States of America.  

Hail to the Chiefs!   

This citizen is the highest ranked individual in America.  The President of the United States is the head of the Executive Branch of Government- one of the three equal branches of our government- but is viewed by some as a kind of supreme leader.  This is a misconception as the President is a public servant and accepts that role when taking the oath of office)  

Thomas Jefferson may have summed up the Presidency best when he wrote in a letter to South Governor Edward Rutledge: “No man will ever bring out of this office the reputation which carries him into it.” A President’s honeymoon can be very short, and as we have observed recently, moments of triumph can also be followed by years of torment, hatred, and division.  

Originally, Congress assumed more authority than the president, but over the past 200-plus years, the man (and so far, it has only been a man) in the role has increased the power of the position. The Presidents with the strongest personalities (and in the best cases, vision) dictated and pushed through more of the policies they wanted and guided by the country’s will more by their own charisma than the rights of the office.  

Recently, I finished reading The Cult of Presidency: America’s Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power.  Author Gene Healy shares the following insight: “Americans expect the president to right the wrongs that plague us- and we blame him when he fails.  Because we invest impossible expectations in the Presidency, the Presidency has become an impossible job. And once the honeymoon period inevitably fades, the modern president becomes a lightning rod for discontent, often catching blame for phenomena beyond the control of any one person, however powerful."  This statement really resonated with me, as I can see President Biden’s recent months in office reflecting this very fact.  

In my opinion, a President needs to lead and unite America, particularly during contentious times.  A President needs to give his people, whether they were born here or not- hopes for a prosperous future for themselves and their families.  I know my parents, when living in India, were inspired by the young and dynamic JFK, who led many around the world to believe that the United States was the land of opportunity.  

Any policies put forth by a President are supposed to be in the best interest of the whole country, putting personal, religious, and political feelings aside.  This country was formed to reject a monarchy, although over time, through subtle erosion by politics and a public’s exponential indifference, the distinction has been significantly worn away, giving rise to what many Political Scientists refer to as the Imperial Presidency.  

Over time, we have seen the development of an Imperial Presidency, as many of us refer to the President of the United States as the most powerful person in the world, which really is untrue.  The President, as Commander in Chief, can at times, be the most dangerous person as he has access to vast military and nuclear arsenal.  

However, at the end of the day, a Presidents actions and leadership can be seen and heard around the world and are a reflection of our nation.

I did some research over the weekend and found the latest polls to reveal who is the United States greatest Commander in Chief.  As Past Presidents have been out of office longer, their legacies had more time to resonate with historians, helping such Presidents as Barack Obama, who has moved up considerably, and hurting Andrew Johnson, who has dropped to 15.  In my opinion, the Presidents at the top of the list led us through tough and critical times, especially during times of War.   

These rankings did not include, William Henry Harrison and James Garfield, whose terms were too short to rank.  Grover Cleveland’s two non consecutive terms are given a combined evaluation.   

Donald Trump and Joe Biden are too new to rank at this time, but share your opinions! 

When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, he became the first African American to hold the office. The framers of the Constitution always hoped that our leadership would not be limited to Americans of wealth or family connections. Subject to the prejudices of their time—many of them owned slaves—most would not have foreseen an African American president. Obama’s father, Barack Sr., a Kenyan economist, met his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, when both were students in Hawaii, where Barack was born on August 4, 1961. They later divorced, and Barack’s mother married a man from Indonesia, where he spent his early childhood. Before fifth grade, he returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents and attend Punahou School on scholarship.

In his memoir Dreams from My Father (1995), Obama describes the complexities of discovering his identity in adolescence. After two years at Occidental College in Los Angeles, he transferred to Columbia University, where he studied political science and international relations. Following graduation in 1983, Obama worked in New York City, then became a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, coordinating with churches to improve housing conditions and set up job-training programs in a community hit hard by steel mill closures. In 1988, he went to Harvard Law School, where he attracted national attention as the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review. Returning to Chicago, he joined a small law firm specializing in civil rights.

In 1992, Obama married Michelle Robinson, a lawyer who had also excelled at Harvard Law. Their daughters, Malia and Sasha, were born in 1998 and 2001, respectively. Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996, and then to the U.S. Senate in 2004. At the Democratic National Convention that summer, he delivered a much acclaimed keynote address. Some pundits instantly pronounced him a future president, but most did not expect it to happen for some time. Nevertheless, in 2008 he was elected over Arizona Senator John McCain by 365 to 173 electoral votes.

As an incoming president, Obama faced many challenges—an economic collapse, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the continuing menace of terrorism. Inaugurated before an estimated crowd of 1.8 million people, Obama proposed unprecedented federal spending to revive the economy and also hoped to renew America’s stature in the world. During his first term he signed three signature bills: an omnibus bill to stimulate the economy, legislation making health care more accessible and affordable, and legislation reforming the nation’s financial institutions. Obama also pressed for a fair pay act for women, financial reform legislation, and efforts for consumer protection. In 2009, Obama became the fourth president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 2012, he was reelected over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney by 332 to 206 electoral votes. The Middle East remained a key foreign policy challenge. Obama had overseen the killing of Osama bin Laden, but a new self-proclaimed Islamic State arose during a civil war in Syria and began inciting terrorist attacks. Obama sought to manage a hostile Iran with a treaty that hindered its development of nuclear weapons. The Obama administration also adopted a climate change agreement signed by 195 nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow global warming.

In the last year of his second term, Obama spoke at two events that clearly moved him—the 50th anniversary of the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, and the dedication of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Our union is not yet perfect, but we are getting closer,” he said in Selma. “And that’s why we celebrate,” he told those attending the museum opening in Washington, “mindful that our work is not yet done.”

In July 1939, photographer Dorothea Lange spent the afternoon with Zollie Lyon and his family on their farm southwest of Morrisville. 

Lange was tasked by the Farm Security Administration of the federal government to document the Great Depression across America. Most people know her for the photograph titled "Migrant Mother."

#MorrisvilleBlackHistoryMonth

Doctors Anthony and Shavahn Witherspoon are chiropractors serving Morrisville and surrounding areas. Their chiropractors and wellness team are committed to providing chiropractic, massage, acupuncture and esthetic solutions to address your unique needs, whether you are experiencing back pain, neck pain, headaches, muscular tightness, skin problems or just looking to improve your overall health, our wellness team can help you attain your everyday wellness goals.

We are proud to have Integrate Health and Wellness, PLLC in our Town.

Facebook: Integrate Health and Wellness, PLLC 

Integrate Health and Wellness, PLLC 

133 Keybridge Drive, Suite B, Morrisville, North Carolina 27560 

Steverao app can be downloaded at Apple App store by searching for "Steverao" app in Apple store and Google Play store.

Other Way to download the app is by below scan for Apple store scan code and Google Play store link.

Below are two links to download app from Apple App store and Google Playstore.

February 22 – 6:00 p.m. Town Council Meeting

February 23 – 6:00 p.m. Parks Recreation and Cultural Resources Advisory Committee (Virtual)

February 24 – 6:30 p.m. Morrisville Smart City Steering Committee (Virtual)

The Town of Morrisville cordially invites the community to attend a swearing-in ceremony on Monday, Feb. 21 honoring Pete Acosta as he is sworn in as Chief of Police of the Morrisville Police Department.

The ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 100 Town Hall Drive. In alignment with Wake County, Morrisville’s indoor mask mandate remains in effect. A reception will be held immediately following the ceremony with consideration given to current health and safety guidelines.

Tell us what is important to you. The Town has opened a Budget Portal Gateway to collect community insight that serves to inform the development of Town Council’s priorities and goals for the next budget year. Input will be collected through Tuesday, March 15 at midnight. View the portal and share your input here.

The Town of Morrisville is adding new amenities to Morrisville Community Park. We will be constructing some new tennis courts, pickleball courts, a restroom building, picnic shelter, and walking trails through the park.

We are currently anticipating breaking ground in March of 2022 and finishing work up in Fall of 2022.

Read more about the project at https://bit.ly/MSVCPIII

#LiveConnectedLiveWell

Phase 2 of the Morrisville Carpenter Road Improvements Project will begin on March 7. As a result, there will be changes to traffic flow patterns on Morrisville Carpenter Road and on Town Hall Drive. Town Engineer and Director of Engineering Mark Spanioli talks about the updates in this video.

The Town of Morrisville and the Morrisville Police Department advise pedestrians not to walk on either side of Morrisville Carpenter Road between Town Hall Drive and Misty Groves Circle. This section of the road is an active construction zone area and does not have a sidewalk and is not safe for pedestrians. Please observe the posted sidewalk closed signs.

For Morrisville Carpenter Road Project updates Visit https://bit.ly/mcrcp1

On February 16, repair work began on various sections of sidewalk along McCrimmon Parkway (from Aviation Parkway to Highway 54/Chapel Hill Road). There will be intermittent lane closures from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. This project is anticipated to last approximately six weeks.

Questions? Contact the Morrisville Public Works Department at (919) 463-7070.

Based upon current data and trends in COVID-19 cases in our region, the Morrisville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resource Department has current COVID-19 safety measures and protocols in place for the Morrisville Aquatic & Fitness Center, Cedar Fork Community Center, and Morrisville Senior Center. For those facility’s COVID-19 guidelines and for updates from the Town of Morrisville on COVID-19, visit TownOfMorrisville.org/COVID19.

Town leaders are continuously monitoring the situation in coordination with Wake County Public Health Division, the lead agency for guidance as it relates to the coronavirus and its variants. If you have specific questions related to your health and COVID-19, COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 vaccinations, or other assistance, please call (919) 250-1500, email at covid19.questions@wakegov.com, or visit their webpage at Wakegov.com/covid-19.

Registration for Winter/Spring 3 swim classes opens for residents on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 6 a.m., and for non-residents on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 6 a.m. Class types include youth advanced, stroke school and adult lessons, and are not for beginner swimmers. For more information, click here.

You’ve got virus and vaccine questions; we’ve got an expert. Join the Town of Morrisville for a live COVID-19 Q&A on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, from 2-3 p.m.

 

Dr. Nicholas Turner, a Duke University infectious disease specialist, will engage with Morrisville community members and answer all questions about the COVID-19 virus. The Q&A will take place exclusively on Engage Morrisville. Click here to register and submit your questions.

Registration will start soon for Cedar Fork Community Center summer camp. Residents and Town staff in-person or online registration will open at 7 a.m. on Feb. 21. Non-resident registration will open at 7 a.m. on March 7. For more information, contact the center’s supervisor by calling (919) 463-7101.

Oral Health Session: Morrisville Seniors – Join the Senior Center and UNC Adams School of Dentistry for an Oral Health Session on Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 10:30 a.m. The information session will share how to best care for your smile, your overall health, and includes free oral health supplies. Click here to register.

Senior Living Information Day: Are you a senior thinking about downsizing, tired of yard work, or just wanting to learn more about senior housing opportunities? Representatives from local senior living communities will be at the Senior Center on Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 1-3 p.m. to answer questions and provide information.

Both events will be held at the Morrisville Senior Center, 4117 Davis Drive (located in the McCrimmon Corners Shopping Center).

Morrisville Creek Week will be held March 12-19 in conjunction with NC Clean Water Education Partnership’s (NC CWEP) Regional Creek week. Celebrating Creek Week serves the purpose of educating the public about issues related to stormwater pollution and keeping our waterways clean.

Businesses are invited to register their business as in-kind supporters for Creek Week. Businesses will receive a number of benefits in exchange for their support. Interested businesses should reach out to tvictor@townofmorrisville.org to receive additional information about this opportunity.

The Town of Morrisville has launched the Sustainability Dashboard on Morrisville's Open Data Portal. The dashboard provides residents with tracking data showing the Town's progress in implementing sustainability practices. Data for the solar panel array on Morrisville Fire Station No. 1 and recycling participation rates for each of Morrisville's five GFL Environmental service routes are currently available. For details, click here.

The Morrisville Smart Shuttle, the Town’s newest public transit service, allows riders to request a pick-up or drop-off from one of 15 nodes, or stops, located around the Town using the Smart Shuttle application on their smartphone.

Watch this short video on how to use the Morrisville Smart Shuttle App by clicking here!

The service runs seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Additional details on the Morrisville Smart Shuttle visit TownofMorrisville.org/SmartShuttle

Starting Dec. 4, the WWFM is shifting to winter market hours, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Visit http://wwfm.ag/ to see a complete list of local vendors and shop local!

Get Free Covid Tests at https://www.covidtests.gov/

This information is provided for COVID-19 testing sites in Wake County and please visit https://www.wakegov.com/covid-19-information/no-cost-covid-19-testing.

New sites continue to be added in Wake County through partnerships with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and other community testing providers.

All Mako Medical/NCDHHS sites will remain open through March 1. WakeMed Soccer Park hours are changing - they're now 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting Monday.

Radeas Labs has partnered with Baptist on Mission to offer drive-thru testing in Wake County AND Radeas has opened back up its Wake Forest drive thru-site. No appointments, no pre-registration, and no out-of-pocket costs. Insurance accepted, but not required.

All Mako Wake County Testing Sites Open Until March 1:

Hindu Society of NC: Drive thru testing in HSNC parking lot. Do not step out of your car . You will be provided with instructions for registration. No prior appointment is required. Testing is being performed by: Ottendorf Laboratories, LLC. Monday thru Friday - 8 to 5 pm Address: 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC 27560

Registration can be done with the QR code:

Note that you can get Pfizer and Moderna First, Second and Booster Shots at Morrisville Pharmacy and Compounding (3500 Davis Drive Market Place Shopping Center, Morrisville, NC 27560) (919) 463-7990.

After months of carefully monitoring COVID-19 metrics, Wake County Government will be lifting its mask mandate, joined by the City of Raleigh and the towns of Garner, Knightdale, Rolesville and Zebulon. These mandates will be removed effective 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25. We will be discussing Masks at the Tuesday Council Meeting.

Wake County Public School System plans to make masks optional for students and staff in the "coming days."

The district made that announcement Friday morning on the heels of recommendations from Gov. Roy Cooper and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Cooper and NCDHHS said improving COVID-19 metrics across the state meant it was safe to make masking optional in low-risk settings. The Governor encourages all school districts to consider optional mask requirements.

The decision also comes a day after the North Carolina House passed the Free the Smiles Act in a veto-proof, bipartisan vote.

Moore County offices will move to a mask-optional policy effective Monday.

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The county said it took Gov. Roy Cooper's support of dropping mask requirements into consideration, along with case metrics declining, and with support of the Moore County Health Department.

This change does not include county agencies/operations that are still required by state or federal requirements to continue with "mask required" policies.

The County will continue to make face masks available to those who want them.

The House Wake COVID-19 Financial Assistance Program is offering in-person support for residents who have a pending application awaiting a decision.

The community event will be held Feb. 26 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Southeast Raleigh YMCA.

Staffers from Telamon, the administrator of House Wake, will be on site to answer questions related to the status of applications and address any issues that may have delayed processing.

President Biden will meet with the National Security Council today as the crisis in Ukraine edges closer to a tipping point.

With eight days until his self-imposed deadline, Biden is expected to name his Supreme Court pick soon.

Russian artillery fire escalated sharply in eastern Ukraine, deepening fears of an imminent attack. Dodging shells, Ukrainians reluctantly let their homes, uncertain about where they would end up.

Vladimir Putin’s aim appears to be to revise the outcome of the Cold War, analysts say.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the Western response to Russia’s aggression.

The Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko once skillfully managed Moscow’s demands. No more.

Putin has already weakened Ukraine’s economy.

Thanks for joining on Black Issues Forum for our discussion on Russia/Ukraine, Inflation, and the bomb threats Historic Black Colleges and University during Black History Month.

Link to Show: https://video.pbsnc.org/video/russia-inflation-and-hbcu-bomb-threats-1y3oln/

Glad to be out yesterday with Mayor Cawley, and Council Members Satish Garimella, Liz Johnson, Donna Fender and Vicki Scroggins- Johnson for the Council Littersweep at Indian Creek Park.  A special thanks to Staff Member Kyle Cooper for organizing this program and for the Certificate he presented Council! 

I visited Tony Gurley, Former Wake County Commission Chair and my opponent in the 2010 election.  He is the owner of Glenwood Pharmacy.  Tony is such a nice guy and a very successful pharmacist.   It feels great to be friends with someone, who may not agree with me on everything, but can focus on what we have in common.  Also, congrats on him Robin becoming a grandparents last week!

Watch Sunday at 4pm for a new Forum.

It was great to be at Black Issues Forum on Friday.  Join us on Sunday at 4pm for our discussion on Biden first year, Voting Rights, other issues.

Please watch for the Black Issues Forum on UNC-TV!  Fridays at 7 pm and Sundays at 4 pm!

COVID-19 Q&A Session: Join the Town of Morrisville for a live COVID-19 Q&A with Dr. Nicholas Turner on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, from 2-3 p.m.

Dr. Nicholas Turner, a Duke University infectious disease specialist, will engage with Morrisville community members and answer all questions about the COVID-19 virus.

The live Q&A session will be streamed exclusively on Engage Morrisville. Submit your questions now. Register today and submit your questions at https://bit.ly/engagemorrisville

March 4th NC Tech Association Outlook for Tech.

Register at

March 12th Town of Morrisville Holi Festival at Cedar Fork Community Center from 10 am to 2 pm!  Come out and douse yourself with colors! 

May 5 Morrisville Chamber Annual Meeting at Prestonwood Country Club from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Award Applications are open!

Join us every Friday on World Edition at 10 am for the Great America Project Panel where we discuss how we rebuild Americas' image with leaders from around the country and world.

Public Open Dialogue TV is a worldwide multilingual, multi-demographic network focused on inspiring, educating and entertaining the global community. We provide unique programming in areas not covered by traditional media, and provide a platform for the audience to engage with those shows. Formerly IBMTV.